Apparatus for treating thread or the like



April 1942? R. F. BERGMANN I 2,281,406

APPARATUS FOR TREATINQ THREAD OR THE LIKE Filed Sept. 28, 1939 s 'sheets-sheet'l nventor RICHARD H BERGMA N Bu g; g

p 1942- R. F. BERGMANN 2,281,406

APPARATUS FOR TREATING THREAD OR THE LIKE Fi led Sept. 28, 1939 3Sheets-Sheet 2 I F1 G 4 I 3nvmtor RICHARD E BERGMANN 1 4 5 /7 I l/ I);

I attorney April 28, 1942- Q R. F. BERGMANN APPARATUS FOR TREATINGTHREAD 611 THIE LIKE Filed Sept. 28, 1959 s Sheets-Sheet s M N H. m N mn rm 1 B Q F v RV. Q .N m Q Q a Q MR 5 l i g a Q. \\\w\. n M. R. 5% 1|!Wm m. 3 3 m Q v mm l mmwwnvfim -%-&i m a \Qf w N v Q k 1% a w 8 a I. JI. 4 .a N NR F Mg f a .R a g \S Q w a k. 2 2. M 8 N v 3 3 'PatentedlApr.28, 1942 v ltichardF. Bergmann, Lakewood, Ohio, assignor to IndustrialRayon Corporation, Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of DelawareApplication September as, 1929, Serial No. 296,937

. Claims.

This invention relates to apparatus for treating strip, material such asthread or the like, hereinafter referred to as thread," while -it isbeing continuously but temporarily stored in a plurality' of advancing,generally helical turns.

. More particularly, the invention relates toa thread-advancing threadstore device capable of storing the thread in a plurality of generallyhelical turns having associated therewith means for supplying a treatingmedium, such as a temperature-changing fluid, to the interior of thedevice. In the preferred embodiments of the invention, sucha-thread-advancing thread store device takes the form of a,thread-advancing reel. o For the purposes of illustration but in, nosense of limitation, the invention will be described in connection witha thread-advancing reel operating on the principle of that shown,described and claimed in Knebusch Patent- 2,21'0,914. Although any,'type of temperature-changing medium may be employed, the embodiment ofr of the machine. In said cup member 5 fits a the invention hereinafterdescribed will be one adapted to be heated, forthepu'rpose of dryingthread or the likestored thereon, by means of a liquid heating mediumcirculated through the interior of the device.. Further for purposes ofillustration, such apparatus will be described inconnection with amachine for the continuous processing of multiple 'filament viscoseartificial silk thread of the type shown, claimedand described inKnebusch and Burkhlolder Patent 2,225,642.

Themore important advantages of the invention will be brought outhereinafter in' connection with the following description: In theaccompanylng drawings, Figure 1 is'a sectional elevation of a portion ofa machine for continuously processing thread in which is employed. theapparatus of the present invention; Figure 2 is a plan on an-enlargedscale of a thread-advancing' reel comprising the preferred embodi--'ment of the invention. Figure'3 is a side eleation thereof on the samescale as Figure 2. Figure 4 is a corresponding end elevation on'thesamescale. Figure 5 is a longitudinal sectional elevation of thethread-advancing reel on. a still larger scale on line 5-5 of Figure 4.In the drawings, like reference characters refer to like partsthroughout.- 1

In the machine shown in Figure 1, thread A supplied from asuitable-source, such as'aspinneret, passes in sequence to each of aseries of thread-advancing reels of which four are shown,

bearingreference characters 1 to 4, inclusive.

a descending series with the unsupported ends of. all reels extending inthe same direction; 3

i. e., toward the operating face of the apparatus. The unsupported ordischarge end of each preceding reel' is disposed in apposite relationto the supported or receiving end of each succeeding reel, anarrangement which provides numerous advantages from the standpoints ofac: cessibility and visibility to the' operators. Any

'number of such descending series may be disposed lengthwise of theapparatus. The means shown as employed forsupporting each of the reels lto 4, inclusive, include a cup member 5 mounted on the supportingiframe6- fianged member 1 which forms part of or is suitably flxed to theframe member on which .the reel is rotatably mounted. Flanged member I:is held in place in cup member 5 by one or more set screws 8. Each 'ofthereels I to 4, inclusive, is driven by a gear ll mounted on driveshaft 9 or ii), as the case may be. Eachgear ll meshes with a gear [2mounted on an inclined drive shaft l3. .Each inclined'drive shaft l3serves to drive all of the reels in the'same descending series.

to the horizontal in order. that the liquid appliedv thereto may travellengthwise of the reel toward the supported end thereof, thus subjectingall of the thread on the reel to theaction of the liquid. Reagentdistributor l4 communicates with a supply conduit I 5 shown as formingan integral part of a trough l6 disposed beneath the pre-- ceding reel.

One of said troughs I5 is shown as disposed bene'ath each of the. reelsto which liquid is applied or which serves to advance wet thread. Eachof said troughs l8 extends lengthwise of the apparatus in a mannerpermitting it to serve'a num- 'ber of corresponding reels in adjacentdescending series, wherefore conduits l5 likewise extend along v theapparatus and serve the reagent distributors for a number of reelsdisposed in corresponding positions lengthwise of the apparatus.

In Figure 1, the thread on reel- I is being subjected to the action of aprocessing liquid supplied from distributor It. The reel l is inclinedTroughs I 6 communicate through openings H with piping leading to asewer or, if desired, to recirculation and make-up means.

In the illustrated apparatus, reel, 2 represents the reel with which thepresent invention is more immediately concerned. It is shown as adaptedI to be heated by hot water, steam or other fluid circulatedtherethrough by means hereinafter to be described. The reel mayconveniently be tapered, as shown, to provide for shrinkage of thethread during the drying operation. A small stream of rewetting liquidis applied from reagent distributor I8 to the last few turns of threadon the reel, said distributor being supplied from conduit l forming partof the trough disposed below reel l. The thread passes from theunsupported end of reel 2 to reel 3, on which no processing medium isapplied to the thread but on which the excess liquid is permitted todrip therefrom.

Reel 3 is similar to reel l and any preceding reels on which processingliquids have been applied to the thread; however, inasmuch as noprocessing liquid is applied to the thread'on reel 3, it requires noreagent distributor such as reagent distributor it of reel 5. By thetime it reaches the end of reel 3, the thread has had its moisturecontent reduced, by dripping, to a predetermined amount, thusfacilitating subsequent drying of the thread. From reel 3 the threadpasses to reel 5, on which it is given its second and, in theillustrated apparatus, final drying.

Reel 4, which is tapered to provide for the shrinkage of the thread, isenclosed in a housing l9 provided with a door 20 which permits access tothe reel. The thread passes out of said housing l9 to a collectingdevice such as a cap-twister (not shown). The drive shaft 9 of reel 4 ishollow to permit the circulation through the reel of heated fluidsupplied by means of conduit 2i and removed by means of conduit 22.Tubes 23 and 26 serve to connect supply and discharge conduits 2i and 22to a suitable fitting 25 so constructed as to keep the entering andleavin streams of fluid segregated from each other.

The process of drying the thread a plurality of times, with a rewettingstep between drying operations, forms no part of the present invention,being shown, described and claimed in copending application Serial No.297,074, filed September 29, r 1939. However, the reel 2 with which thepresent invention is concerned is very important in carry ing out thisprocess, since it makes it possible to employ a reel which is oflittle,,if any, greater overall length than the preceding processingreels, such, for example, as reel I. This makes itpracticable tosubstitute the reel of the present invention for various other reels inthe apparatus, including all of the liquid processing reels, withoutmaking any changes whatsoever in the apparatus as a whole.

Like reels I 3 and 4, reel 2 operates on the principle of the reeldisclosed in Knebusch Patent 2,210,914. It comprises two wholly rigidreel members, each having a periphery of substantially circular crosssection made up of a plurality of longitudinally extending bar memberswhich interleave with the bar members of the other reel member. The reelmembers rotate about axes displaced from and inclined to each other insuch manneras to continuously advance the thread in a large number ofclosely spaced, generally helical turns. The construction of reel 2 isshown to best advantage in Figures 2 to 5, inclusive.

, As is apparent from these figures, the reel 2 .able supporting member65, as by bolts ifij comprises two wholly rigid reel members 26 and 21.Member 26, which may be termed the concentric member, is mountedconcentrically upon and for rotation with drive shaft l0, having itsperiphery made up of a series of spaced, longitudinally extending barmembers 29. Member 21, which may be termed the eccentric member, isrotatably mounted with its axis inclined to but in a plane slightlyoffset from the axis of rotation of reel member 26, having a peripheryincluding aseries of spaced, longitudinally extending bar members 3|alternately disposed with respect to bar members 29 of reel member 26.

Concentric reel member 26 may conveniently be fabricated as shownwithbar members 29 formed integrally with a hollow body portion 32.Front and rear closure members 33 and 34, respectively, form fluid-tightjunctions with the interior surface of hollow body portion 32, beingpressed, welded, or otherwise held in place. Cooperating annular sealingmembers 35 and 36 of wedgeshaped cross section are disposed in recesses31 in members 33 and 34 to prevent the escape of .fluid past shaft l0.It has been found desirable to make the outer annular sealing member 35of metal and the inner annular sealing member 36 which bears against theshaft of some flexible material such as rubber or possibly of one of thesynthetic materials capable of withstanding heat A bolt 33 holding awasher 39 against the outer sealing member at the unsupported end of thereel is threaded into a plug 40 which is welded in the unsupported endof hollow drive shaft 10. A washer 4| located on shaft H], as by snapring 42 disposed in a groove 43 in the outer surface of drive shaft I 0,bears against the outer annular sealing member 35 at the inner end ofconcentric reel member 26, serving thereby to locate reel member 26endwise on shaft [0. As bolt 38 is tightened, it forces the wedge-shapedannular members 35 and 36 together at each end of reel member 26, thuseffectively sealing it against the escape of fluid past the shaft 10.

In the construction illustrated in the drawings,

eccentric member 21 is formed of a rigid cagelilre member 44concentrically mounted upon a rotat- Member 44 embodies bar members 3|fixed at their supported ends to an external annular rib portion 52 offrame member 49. Boss portion 52 has an external generally cylindricalsurface the axis of which is disposed in the desired offset and inclinedrelation to the axis of rotation of drive shaft In, which isalso theaxis-of rotation of concentric reel member 28. Snap rings .50 areprovided to locate the outer races of the bearings 5| in the bore ofsupporting member 45;

thereby aiding in locating eccentric reel member 21 lengthwise of theframe member 49.

Supporting member 45 is formed so that the projecting boss 52 of framemember 49 is disposed within the limits of the reel proper. The rearclosure member 34 of concentric reel member26 is within the hollowbody'portion 32 at a substantial distance from the inner end ofconcentric reel member 26; consequently, boss 52 may be means areassociated with frame member 49,

the overall length of the reel and itssupporting member is onlyslightly, if any, greater than that of the liquid processlngreels.

As mentioned above, reel 2 is similar to the other reels shown in Figure1 in that its frame member 49 is provided with a flanged portion .1

. adapted to fit closely in and be held, as'by set screws 6, in a cupmember fixed to the frame 6 of the machine as a whole. Drive shaft illonwhich concentric member 26 is rigidly and concentrically mountedpasses through frame member 49,, being journalled therein by spacedbearings 55 and 56. Driving gear I l is rigidly mounted on theprojecting end of said drive shaft, as by set screw 51. Consequently,reel 2 'may, if necessary, be interchanged with any of the reels of themachine other than reel &.

In the reel illustrated in Figures -2 to 5, inclusive, an annularinternally toothed member 58 mounted in the portion of hollow bodyportion 32 surrounding bearings 5| meshes with vextemal teeth 59 formedon the sleeve-like portion 56 of supporting, member 45. Pins 6i areemployed to prevent rotation of gear 58 in body portion 32. Thus meansare provided for driving the eccentric member from the concentric memberat the same speed without contact of the bar members of the two reelmembers.

If desired, annular gear 58 may be made of material which, inconjunction with metal teeth 59, provides good wearing qualities. Thussupporting member 45, and hence teeth 59, may be formed of iron orsteel, while annular gear 58 may be formed of Bakelite-impregnatedfabric or the like. Such a combination gives extraordinarily goodwearing qualities even in the complete absence of lubrication. If somesuch 'hieans' are employed, contact of the bar members of the reelmembers can be entirely avoided, which is advantageous in view of thefact that the bar members of the reel members are preferably made ofmetalhaving good heat conductivity,

such as aluminum, which would otherwise wear readily. V

As indicated above, reel 2 is heated internally by the circulation ofsuitable heating fluid through the hollow body portion 32 of concentricreel member 26. As is apparent from Figure '5,

frame member 49 is hollow, being built up of two' hollow parts 62 and 63separated by a member 64 which in effect forms a partitiomso that theframe member 49 includes two compartments 65 and 66 through which thedrive shaft I6, passes. Suitable sealingmeans 68 are provided toprecompartments past the drive shaft, either from one compartment intothe other-or from the ends of/frame member 49.- v i "The sealing meansshown individually comprise a smooth-faced stationary portion 69 againstwhich bears a rotatable member H which is urged .thereagainst by aspring 12. Member Il may be formed of carbon 6r some material such assynthetic rubber. 'Spring I2 is compressed ent the escape offluid fromthe interior of said. ,4 05' 3 support It rigidly fixed to the driveshaft III, as by a set screw 15. Each of said supports 'ld'is providedwith one or more slots 16 in which are disposed projections 11 formed onrotatable bear- 7 ing members ll so that said rotatable members arerotated by said supports 14. Sealing member 13 encloses drive shaftlit-thereby preventing the escape of .fluid between drive shaft l0 andbearing member 1 I, while the tight contact between the rotating bearingmember Ii and stationary member 69 prevents the escape of fluid at thispoint.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figure 5, support N incompartment serves two sealing means 68, one of which prevents theescape of fluid from the end of the frame member 49 and the other ofwhich prevents the escape of fluid into the other compartment 66. The

support it in compartment 66 similarly'serves the single sealing means68 therein. Openings 18 may be provided in the vicinityiof bearings 55and 56 to provide a drain for any liquid which might seep past thesealing means. As a result of the expansive action of the springs 12,said sealing means aid in properly locating drive shaft l6 andconcentric member 26. If desired, compartment. 66 maybe made the largerand contain two sealing means while compartment 65 may contain asingle'sealing means; alternatively, both compartments may contain twosealing means. Compartment 65 is provided with an opening I 19 throughwhich heating fluid is supplied from a tube 80 connected to frame member49. The

heating fluid passes. through a port 82 in said drive shaft I0 andthence longitudinally through said drive shaft to-a port 83 throughwhich it passes into .the interior of the hollow bodypor tion 32 ofconcentric reel member 26. The heating fluid passes out of said hollowbody portion 32 through opening 86 in said drive shaft in. The latteropening communicates with the interior of an inner tube 85 rigidly fixedin said drive shaft. The fluid leaving irmer tube 85 passes out throughport 88 into the rear compartment 66, which it leaves through opening 89connected to discharge tube 6i. Since openings l9 and 69 in theembodiment of Figure'5 are located in the far walls of compartments 65and 66, they are shown in dotted lines.

1 The plug 50 atthe unsupported end of drive shaft I0 serves to separatethe inner tube 55 and.

the drive shaft l0. It also operates to prevent fluid from passingdirectly from the drive shaft the opening 62 through which the fluidenters said drive shaft' and the opening 86 through which thefluidleaves said drive shaft prevents intermixing of the entering anddischarging fluid.

to the tube and vice vers'a. A similar plugtl' at the rear portion ofsaid drive shaft i0 between The end of hollow drive shaft lll remotefrom the reel is closed by plug 52 threaded therein.

Thus the heating fluid enters the hollow body portion 320! theconcentric reel member 26 near the end ,of the reel at which the threadstarts thereon, passing out..'of the reel near the unsupported endthereof.' The reel is therefore heated most at the end thereof wherethe-thread is wettest, which is often advantageous. However,

.theheating fluid may be caused. to enter the hollow body. portion neartheuns'upported end thereof and leave at the other end. Asshown inFigure l, the supply tube 80 is connected to a supply conduit 93 whichextends 'between the edge of a flexible annular sealing I member l3bearing against said member II and a lengthwise of the apparatus andserves a plurality of reels 2 disposed in adjacent series length-f I flI v I r wise of the machine. Similarly, discharge tube 9| communicateswith a discharge conduit 94 extending lengthwise of the apparatus andserving a plurality of corresponding reels 2. Regulating valves 95 maybe provided as shown to control the flow of heating fluid through eachreel 2. The heating fluid may be hot water, steam, or other suitableliquid or vapor which may be heated by any suitable means (notshown) andpoint intermediate the ends of the drive shaft and the frame member onwhich the reel is supported. Consequently, .a thread-advancing reelembodying the present invention may be employed in place of otherthread-advancing reels on a machine for the continuous processing ofthread without changing the construction of the machine or thelike. Ashasalready been explained, this is advantageous in the repetitive dryingof thread in a continuous process.

It is apparent that various modifications may be made in thethread-advancing thread store device illustrated in the drawings andthat thread-advancing thread store devices embodying the invention maybe employed for uses other than that described, all without departingfrom the spirit of the invention. For example, while thethread-advancing thread store device of the invention'is describedherein as heated for the drying of thread, it is apparent that the fluidpassed therethrough need not serve to heat the device, but may beemployed to cool it. Likewise, the invention is not restricted to thewinding of thread per se, but is capable of employment with variouskinds of strip material. The term thread in the appended claims isintended to include such materials.

It is intended that the patent shall cover, by suitable expression inthe appended claims. whatever features of patentable novelty reside inthe invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A thread-advancing thread store device comprising a frame member; afirst set of spaced, longitudinally extending bar members; meanssupporting saidflrst set of bar members in rotatable relation to saidframe member; a second set of spaced, longitudinally extending barmembers alternating with the bar members of said rounding a portion ofsaid frame members; supporting means characterized by a concave webportion extending inward of the device as a whole' V of bar members fromsaid frame member.

2. Apparatus of the character described in claim 1 in which said bearingmeans comprise spaced antifriction bearings disposed at a substantialdistance from each end of said second set of bar members, the inner andouter races of said antifriction bearings being respectively mounted onsaid frame member and in said supporting means.

3. Apparatus for treating thread comprising a frame member; a rotatablehollow shaft passing through said frame member; means disposed at oneend of said frame member for rotating said hollow shaft; athread-advancing thread store device rotatably mounted at the other endof said frame member for rotation by said hollow shaft, saidthread-advancing thread store device having a closed hollow interiorcommunicating with the interior of said hollow shaft; means associatedwith said hollow shaft for circulating fluid through said interior, ofsaid thread-advancing thread store device by the supply and removal offluid through the interior of said hollow shaft; and means associatedwith said frame member between said thread-advancing thread store deviceand said means for rotating said hollow shaft for supplying fluid to andremoving it from the interior of said hollow shaft.

4. Apparatus for treating thread comprising a frame member; means forsupporting said frame member from one end only thereof a rotatablehollow shaft passing through said frame member and projecting from thesupported end of said frame member; means disposed at the projecting endof said hollow shaft for rotating said hollow shaft; a thread-advancingthread store device rotatably mounted at the other end of said framemember for rotation by said hollow shaft, said thread-advancing threadstore device having a closed hollow interior communicating with theinterior of said hollow shaft; means associated with said hollow shaftfor circulating fluid through said interior of said thread-advancingthread store device by the supply and removal of fluid through theinterior of said hollow shaft; and means associated with said framemember between said supporting means .and said thread-advancing threadstore device 5. Apparatus for treating thread comprising a hollow framemember which includes two compartments disposed longitudinally thereof;a hollow drive shaft journalled in and projecting from both ends of saidframe member, said hollow drive shaft having openings thereincommunieating with said compartments; 2. thread-advancing thread storedevice including a hollow member rigidly mounted on one of theprojecting ends of said hollow drive shaft, said threadadvancing threadstore device communicating with the interior of said hollow drive shaft;a tubular member disposed in said hollow drive shaft in spaced relationthereto, said tubular member communicating through an opening in saidhollow drive shaft with the interior of said hollow member andcommunicating with another opening in said hollow drive shaft with thecompartment farthest removed from said threadadvancing thread storedevice; conduit means connected to said compartments intermediate theends of said frame member for conducting fluid to and removing it fromsaid compartments, wherebysaid fluid is circulated through saidthread-advancing thread store device; and, mounted on the projecting endof said drive shaft remote from said thread-advancing thread storedevice, means for rotating said drive shaft.

6. Apparatus of the character described in members.

claim including means for mounting said frame member from one endthereof only, -said conduit means being" disposed between said mountingmeans and said thread-advancing thread store device.

7. A thread-advancing thread store device comprising a frame member; afirst set of spaced, longitudinally extending bar members; meanssupporting said first set of bar members in rotatable relation to saidframe member; a second set of spaced, longitudinally extending barmembers alternating with the bar members of said first set but mountedfor rotation about an axis in inclined relation to the axis of rotationof said first set, said second setof bar members surrounding a portionof said frame member; supporting means connected to said second set ofbar mem- I bers characterized by an annular portion surrounding saidframe member extending inward of said second set of bar members; bearingmeans supporting said annular portion of said supporting member fromsaid frame member; external teeth associated with the annular portion ofsaid supporting member, said teeth being disposed within the peripherydefined by said sets of bar members; and, engaging said external 'teeth,internal teeth associated with said first set of bar thread store devicewhile others connect the other of said compartments with the interior ofsaid thread-advancing thread 'store device through the bore of saidtubular member; saling means for preventing escape of fluid past saidshaft disposed at the ends and between the compartments of said framemember; and conduit means connected to each of said compartments'at apoint intermediate the ends of said frame member, one of said conduitmeans serving to supply and the other to remove fluid from theinterior-of said thread-advancing thread store device.

10. Apparatus for treating thread comprising a hollow frame member whichincludes two com- 8. A thread-advancing thread store device comprising aframe member having a projecting end; a first set ofspaced,longitudinally extending bar members; means for supporting said firstset of bar members in rotatable relation to said frame'member in suchmanner that one of the ends of said first set of bar members isunobstructed by supporting means; a second set of spaced, longitudinallyextending bar members alternating with the bar members of said first setbut-mountedfor rotation about an axis in inclined relation to the axisof rotation of said first set, said second set of bar members surrounding a portion of said frame member; hearing means mounted upon saidframexmemberat partments disposed longitudinally thereof; a fluidconduit communicating with each of said compartments intermediate theends of said frame.

member; a j hollow shaft journalled in and projecting from the ends ofsaid frame member, said shaft embracing a rigidly disposed tubularmember extending longitudinally thereof means disposed at the ends ofthe space between said shaft-and said tubular member forming afluid-tight seal preventing intercommunication,

between said spaceand-the bore of said tubular member; a firstthread-advancing member disposed about the projecting end of said shaft,said thread-advancing member including a closed hollow body portionrigidly mounted on and sura substantial distance, from the ends of thedevice as a whole; and, mounted upon said bearf ing means, supportingmeans characterized by a concave web portion extending inward of saidsecond set of bar members, said supporting means being onnected to saidsecond set of bar members at one end only thereof. r

9. Apparatus for treating thread comprising ahollow'frame member whichincludes two compartments disposed. longitudinally thereof; a

rounding the end of said shaft; a plurality of openings in said shaftcertain of which provide communication through saidspace between one ofthe compartments in said frame member and the hollow interior of-saidfirst thread-advancing member while others connect the othen of saidcompartments with the interior of said first thread-advancing memberthrough the bore of said tubular member; a second thread-advancing.member surrounding said frame member in oper-. ative relation to saidfirst thread-advancing member, said second thread-advancing memberincluding a supporting member extending inward-,- ly of and rotatablysupporting said second threadadvancing member on said frame member at apoint a substantial distance from each of the ends of said sedondthread-advancing member: and, disposed at the other end of said shaft,means for rotating said drive shaft.

RICHARD F. RGMANN.

